International Finance Corporation - Projects
IFC - International Finance Corporation -->> Reducing Poverty, Improving Lives...
 About IFC | IFC Projects | Doing Business with IFC | Sustainability | Media Hub | Research Desk |  Search

Summary of Project Information (SPI)
Project number7844
Project nameFTML Services Cellulaire Liban
CountryLebanon
SectorInformation
DepartmentGlobal Inform. & Comm. Tech.
Company nameFTML S.A.L.
Environmental categoryB
Date disclosedNovember 1, 1996
StatusCompleted
Previous EventsInvested: February 2, 1998
Signed: July 16, 1997
Approved: March 28, 1997

Summary Of Project Information (SPI)
Project NameLebanon - FTML
Expansion of the company’s cellular network in Lebanon.
RegionCentral Asia, Middle East and North Africa

Sector
Project No007844
Projected Board DateDecember 10, 1996
Company NameFrance Telecom Mobiles Liban S.A.L.
Technical Partner and/or Major Shareholders

France Telecom Mobiles International - 66.6%, the international cellular subsidiary of France Telecom, the main French telephone operator.

Groupe Mikati - 33.3%, a Lebanese group involved in telecommunications.

Project Cost Including proposed IFC investment

US$190 million project cost (over the 1996-98 period). IFC would provide for its own account a US$20 million senior A Loan, a US$10 million subordinated C Loan and would syndicate jointly with Societe Generale a US$70 million B Loan.

Location of project and Description of site

Lebanon - countrywide cellular network.

Description of Company and Purpose of Project

FTML was awarded one of two licenses to operate a cellular GSM network in Lebanon under a 10 year BOT contract in June 1994. During its initial two years of operations, the company experienced substantial market growth reaching a subscriber level of 95,000. FTML has embarked on an investment plan to improve quality of service, as the network has been strained by unusually high traffic patterns, and expand capacity to accommodate the fast growing demand for cellular services in Lebanon. Given its rapid growth, the company’s self financing ability is insufficient, and hence it has asked IFC to help raise the external financing.

Environmental Category and Issues

This is a category B project according to IFC's environmental review procedure. Environmental issues associated with this project include: right-of-way alignment, access road construction, tower site selection, PCBs, solid and liquid wastes disposal, halons, fire prevention and general employee safety.

The is November 8, 1996 from the Public Information Center.

Date SPI sent to PIC      November 1, 1996

For Additional Information contact: Corporate Relations Unit -
telephone: (202) 473-7711
facsimile: (202) 676-0365

Environmental documents for this project are available at http://www.ifc.org/projects and from the World Bank InfoShop (http://www.worldbank.org/html/pic/aboutinfo.html).